The Jewish Museum is large and impressive. It focuses on Frankfurt’s Jewish history, rather than all of Germany’s, but does put it in national context. There are three levels of the museum, each dedicated to a different aspect of Jewish life and history. There are also a café and a tiny bookshop (selling almost exclusively German-language books), which are both on the right side as you enter the front door.
To buy a ticket, head for the desk that is straight ahead when you enter. I paid 1.30 euro with a student discount, but regular admission is 2.60 euro. I asked if they had information in English, and the woman who sold me my ticket simply handed me a massive, heavy, 4-ring binder. I also had to put my backpack in one of the lockers, but this was free.
So I went off with my notebook, pen and the self-defense binder under my arm. The binder actually held translations of almost all of the display panels. But on the ground floor there were no extensive panels to read. This level was devoted entirely to the work of Jewish artists. This ranged from some very early pieces to some very recent ones. I did not know enough to recognize any of the names, but I enjoyed looking. Many of the pieces were obviously based on religious themes, while others were not. Another room adjacent to this room held a display on the Rothschild’s, Frankfurt’s most famous Jewish family.
I moved further along and found the stairs, and I went all the way up to the second floor. This level is devoted to Jewish life and culture. I wandered around confused for a moment before realizing that all I needed to do was take a left from the stairs to find Panel 1, which dealt with written Jewish texts and had an illuminated manuscript on display. From there each room seemed to follow rather logically. I proceeded through the many rooms, learning about religious beliefs, practices, festivals, community, and more. In the room with Panel 8 was an entire wall of menorahs, which was quite interesting. They ranged from the simple and functional to the ornate and beautiful.
I moved down to the second floor, which was where the recent history of the Jews in Frankfurt and the rest of Germany is really told. The problem of ghettoes which plagued Jewish communities in Germany is demonstrated through documents, panels and artifacts. Their struggle for civil rights during the 1840s is detailed, followed by the German revolution which destroyed any gains. The panels tell the story of anti-Semitism through modern times in Germany. Finally there is a large section on WWII and its impact on Jews.
There is also a small exhibit on Medieval Frankfurt Jewish community on this floor. There are several written documents on display, and a wooden model of the city.